Osimhen strikes again as Galatasaray extend perfect start in Turkish Süper Lig

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen is settling into life back at Galatasaray like a man on a mission. The Super Eagles striker was on target again on Saturday, powering home a decisive 65th-minute header as the Turkish champions overcame Rizespor 3–1 to continue their flawless start to the 2025/26 Süper Lig season.

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Colombian defender Davinson Sánchez set the tone in the 20th minute, rising highest to head in a Gabriel Sara corner and hand Galatasaray control.

The second half belonged to Osimhen and his team. Timing his leap with trademark precision, the Nigerian striker met a floated cross and buried his header beyond the goalkeeper, extending Galatasaray’s dominance and underlining why the club invested heavily to bring him from Serie A to Istanbul.

But the momentum threatened to shift when Rizespor scored in the 73rd minute through Dal Varesanovic, halving the deficit and silencing the home support.

But, as the clock wound down, Mauro Icardi made it safe, adding the finishing touch in stoppage time, converting a clever assist from Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 92nd minute to seal the points.

The result marked Galatasaray’s fourth consecutive league victory, sending them top with 12 points from four matches; a perfect statement of intent in their title defence.

For Osimhen, the night was personal progress as well as collective triumph. His strike was his second goal of the campaign in as many ganes, following his opener in the emphatic 4–0 demolition of Kayserispor earlier in August. The Nigerian international looks sharper with every appearance, his mix of power and hunger already endearing him to the fiery Galatasaray faithful.

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Osimhen’s new Chapter

The move to Galatasaray this summer was one of the biggest stories of the Turkish transfer window. After dazzling in Serie A with Napoli, where he fired the Partenopei to a historic Scudetto, Osimhen’s arrival in Istanbul has been seen as a seismic shift in the Süper Lig.

His presence not only strengthens Gala’s domestic ambitions but also raises expectations in Europe, where the club hopes to make a deep run.

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Osimhen himself has been vocal about embracing the challenge of Turkish football, and with each goal, he is showing signs of settling into a system that pairs him with fellow forward Icardi; a partnership already giving opposition defences sleepless nights.

For Galatasaray, victories like this against tricky opponents such as Rizespor are the building blocks of a championship campaign. For Osimhen, each goal is another brick in the wall of a legacy he is writing far from home but in full view of the global game.